Chronicles of an Aegis 7 Miner
by Orkpower
Summary: The log of an Aegis 7 Miner, JJ, and it's his recollection of how he escaped the planet, and survived aboard the Ishimura. Written to keep in style with the comics. 'Tis just a preview at the moment.


Introductions

My name you ask? My name is Joseph Jones, my friends call me JJ for short. CEC employee number #5706-0589-0543-8954, I was one of the miners on Aegis 7, if you're reading this, it probably means you're too late to save us. Just nuke the damn planet and save yourselves. This log will help you decipher exactly what happened after the planet crack. I know I said I was a miner, but I managed to get off that god forsaken planet and onto the Ishimura, and that's where you'll find this log, most likely next to my corpse, or near the blood pool where my corpse was. Perhaps even on me once I turn, if that is the case, don't pity me, I thank you. I've left a stash of ammo in the image diagnostic department of the medical deck. It's in the safe, the code's 1985.

The day began normal enough, just your average day. I woke up at 4:30, had breakfast with Joe and Horton, went for my morning run around the colony, and went back to my room to get geared up for the mining. That's when the countdown for the planetcrack started, and everything turned upside down. I don't know what those things were, or how they got there, only things I do know about them is that they're a helluva lot of trouble, and they're scary.

Chapter 1: The Aftermath

Once the planetcrack began, these things, began to attack everyone, innocents, P-Sec officers, even children, there was no hesitation, absolutely no hesitation. I don't know what scared me more, how deformed they were, or how vicious they were. There were flying creatures, creatures that came out of the vents to attack, creatures that had these giant spikes for arms, and there was this one HUGE thing growing in and on the com tower. I don't know what it was, but it was everywhere there, I think I saw 'Braham and Marla entering the tower, but I'm not sure. When I entered the com tower, I instantly noticed the huge organism on the walls, and the more concerning spike creatures. Obviously I got outta there, but not without minor injuries. A few slashes to the chest and legs, but nothing I couldn't handle. I found one of the trusty Schofield 255-V plasma cutters in the mining lockup, I knew its feel off by heart, I am after all, a miner.

Once I got it, it seemed like easy sailing for the most part, but then again, I had only encountered the flying things. After the fifth shot, I ran out of batteries, too bad I ran out too. I could've used the shots in the parts ahead.

After that some weird shit started to happen, its past insane, I saw Horton, he was talking to me. But it just isn't possible, I saw him die. He told me I had some "special" work to do. He never said what it was exactly, or more likely, it never said what it was exactly.

Maybe those Marker heads were right, maybe they had the right idea. But to be honest, I don't care, I'm just happy "Horton" didn't try to kill me. He was unnerving though, he spoke with a bit of an echo, and it was rather robotic, it was all one tone, no feeling behind it.

He spoke to me in the plaza, I hated being there, hundreds of dead bodies littered the floor, all brutally killed by those things. What created them? Who created them? The government, not likely but there's always a small chance, maybe the CEC, they seem to have their hands in every cookie jar. And who else is there? Maybe the Marker made them what the creatures, maybe it WAS left behind by an ancient civilization.

Anyways, once "Horton" talked to me, I got the hell outta the plaza, and ran to the nearest aid station. Thankfully it hadn't been looted, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the spikey type monstrosity running towards me. I already had a scalpel in my hand because I was trying to cut out infected cuts. I quickly jumped out of the way, but I had dropped the scalpel in the process. As the creature charged at me, I broke what used to be its kneecap, it didn't collapse like my plan had dictated. So I began swinging at the creature, I landed one good hit on it. I had stunned it, that was my chance, but I was too dumbfounded to finish it off. It managed to slice my chest, but for some reason, it jumped into the vent and scurried off.

Once that ordeal was over, I went back on my way, trying to get myself fixed up. Once I finished bandaging my wounds, Horton appeared to me again, this time saying to go back to the com tower. Obviously I said "Like hell I will!" and went on my merry way. Then I saw something that was much different than the normal creatures, much bigger, but still human-esque. It was quite brutish, but the legs were disproportionate, smaller. I don't know why, but I think it was natural armour on the arms, chest, head and back. That thing gave me the willies.

I hid as it passed, but it just stared right at me, it was just gazing at me, as I gazed at it. It was unsettling, it just stood there, and went back on its way. I wish I knew why, it was almost as if it was as scared of me, as I was of it.

I don't know what happened then, but I passed out after hearing a high pitched scream, when I woke up, there were these things huddled over me, just staring, the ones with the spikes, but they were back. I think I recognized one of them, I think it was Joe.

After I sat up, they just scurried away into their little ducts, I think they have some sort of hive up in environmental controls. Anyways, I got out of there as fast as I could, mind you, the gouge on the leg made it hard to run. As I mentioned, I go for runs around the colony, so I already knew the go, and which routes were most defensible.

After running for a few hours, I think I saw Natalya, the crazy one that shot a P-Sec officer with a plasma cutter. She was just wandering between the creatures, and they did nothing to harm her, just got out of her way. Similar to what happened to me a while back. I was starting to get really concerned at that point, was it something about us, was it just those things, or was it something else entirely?

I ran into the lockup, and grabbed some batteries for the plasma cutter, and a canister of ionized gas. Just in case I ran out of the actual "ammo" for the mining tool.

Chapter 2: Armed and dangerous

When I walked out of the lockup, dozens of those things swarmed around me, not attacking, just watching me. Almost as if they wanted to see how I'd react. What is up with these things? Anyways, me being well, me, I fought my way out. I fired a shot off at the one in front of me, and decapitated it. Three charged at me, and narrowly missed, one hit another, and the third just stood there, not knowing what to make of the situation. I shot the third's leg off, and stomped on its head. The few surviving creatures ran off as one of those bat-like creatures came by.

I ran off, not wanting to waste battery power on such an average creature. I think they can bring back the dead.....Whatever they are. I wonder what these things are, I mean they look relatively human, minus all the extra limbs and all.

Now here's where things got really weird, and by weird, I mean being teleported-through-time level weird. I was sprinting as that brutish creature with fleshy armour chased me...Hey, I'll call it a Brute. That's a good enough name....But back on topic....As it was chasing me, Horton appeared again, needless to say I ignored him. But something he said got to me, he said "You and a few select others have been blessed, you're special Joseph." I don't know what came over me, but I stopped dead in my tracks.

I thought to myself about what had happened outside the lockup, and what happened to that crazy chick. Maybe good ol' Horton was right, maybe I was special. I watched in fear as the Brute charged at me, it must have come within five feet of me. I almost threw up, but for some reason it backed off. Horton was right, I was special. I mean, Ma always told me I was special, as every mother does. Then that whack job Abbot, the Markerhead Lay Preacher, told me I was special, that I had great things in my future. Once again, probably a sales pitch for Unitology.

What are these creatures, and why do they run away when they get close? If you find my body, find out what makes me tick, find out why they won't touch me. After this little advantage was discovered, I felt invincible. I couldn't have been more wrong. It was just a different creature that hated me. One which I had never seen, one which outweighed even these creatures...My mind. I began seeing things, hearing things. I was going crazy.

Sure, I managed to ignore them for the most part, but I kept hearing things. Probably what that group that killed themselves were hearing before they, well, killed themselves. I figured, not gonna hurt me, right? So I continued on, my main focus is finding food, and shelter. And perhaps even turning the comm. on. That was a bad idea. Really bad idea. So after I looted the food court, I looked around for a safe room. Go figure, the security office wasn't actually that secure. I left there, in search of another room with only one vent. That's a difficult task, let me tell you. After what felt like days, I found one. It was a maintenance room, kinda ironic if you ask me. Next task was finding a torch to weld it shut. After an hour of searching, I found it. It was in a toolbox in one of the maintenance shafts. Not a fun place to be searching, that flesh is growing in there, from the looks of it, it'll soon be everywhere, if it isn't already.

I sprinted back to the room, to find one of those scythe-arm things. I'll call them Slashers, because that's just what it did. It slashed me, got a good hit on me before I shot its arms off. Thank God I had a med kit, or I would surely have died. Looks like the creatures will fight if necessary, but are still scared of me, and possibly others. I sealed the vent up nicely and barricaded the door, can't have them killing me in my sleep, after all.

After my little nap, I decided that I've gotta put out a call for help. So off to the comm. tower I went, intending to burn the glob off of the tower. Worked for countless alien movies, should work for me, right? Once again, it was a really bad idea. Really, really bad idea.

After a few close encounters with the creatures, but no injuries on my part, I've gotten a lot better with the Plasma Cutter. So anyways, I made it to the tower, easily enough. The door was locked, thanks a lot guys! So I was forced to find a different way in, and not the most pleasant way, either. The vents were the only way in. Oh they were just so much fun, almost being killed all those times. After about six hours of crawling around in there, I found my way in.

When I got out, I was dumbfounded by what I saw. The entire comm. tower was covered, floors and all. I almost threw up when I saw people IN the glob. I knew I was doing them a favour killing them, but still.

Chapter 3: Bad Ideas

Like I said, really bad idea to burn the flesh. I started the fire, the whole thing burned easily enough. I got out of there, made it free and clear of the fire. Then what seemed like the entire colony of Slashers came after me. But luckily, I got the comm. working, thank God. I was in time to hear a signal, it was a repair ship calling to the Ishimura! Too bad their comms officer is a bastard, he blocked my call for help. I hope he rots, whoever he is.

Now I had to deal with a giant horde of Slashers, Brutes, and flying things. I caught a glimpse of a teenager in a blue flight uniform as they charged at me. Something about her was calming, I don't care if it was a hallucination, but I gave me the closure I needed to survive this fight. I turned to face the horde, suddenly it wasn't so intimidating. I pull my Hydrazine Torch to the ready. After shooting a Brute a smile of confidence, I pulled the trigger. The first row of creatures collapsed, burning and crispy. That definitely gave me hope, too. Well, until I heard the "click click click click click" of the torch.

It was out, and I was screwed, or so I thought at the time. I dropped the torch, and quickly pulled the Plasma Cutter out. My stomach felt like it was doing acrobatics. Then my saviour came by, it was 'Braham! He was still alive! He had somehow gotten a tool I was unfamiliar with, he probably figured out how to hack the store or found a prototype. Whenever he fired it at a Slasher, the Slasher would just fall apart. So it was me and him, plasma cutter and cool new toy, against about a hundred of them, sounds even enough to me. What happened next, is amazing. So 'Braham and I had killed dozens of them, but we were surrounded, things looked bad enough, that rap looked good. So there we were, cornered by the abominations, 'Braham used the secondary function of the tool. A giant shockwave fired from the weapon, and all the Slashers just disintegrated. He said it was called a LR3000 Excelsior, I think we should have called it the Disintegrator.

Anyways, we made it out alive, nothing could stop us now! Unfortunately, that cool ray gun of his had run out of ammo. We decided to get the hell outta there, no need for any unnecessary heroics, after all. Just a couple of men on the raggedy edge. Unfortunately, all the shuttles had been destroyed. Or at least that's what he had said. I told him to have a little faith in our luck, he told me that I was insane to try and go in there. But he came along, anyways. After all, two people are better than one in a fight.

Along the way, we encountered a few of those Slashers, but we managed to kill them easily enough. We did, after all, know that their limbs were their weak points.

We had finally arrived at the hangar, and much to his surprise, was a shuttle. He decided to give me the honours of starting it up, he said he'd hold them off until I got it up and running. Fair enough, better chance of survival, or so I thought. I got the shuttle running easily enough, unfortunately there was no Shock Drive, so we had to make it to the Ishimura if we wanted to get out of here. No sooner had I got into the cockpit and started the pre-flight sequence up, did the Slashers start appearing. I finished the sequence and 'Braham started up the stairs, but unfortunately a Slasher got him, right through the chest. He had an odd smile, and muttered some woman's name, Marla I think it was, before he died. He was at rest, at least.

I left his corpse behind, no sense in bringing him up, after all. I was home free, or so I thought, I was just entering another hell.


End file.
